Celebrating Rahsaan Roland Kirk

Rahsaan Roland Kirk (sax, b. 1936 - d. 1977)

Rahsaan Roland Kirk was born in Columbus, OH and developed the ability to play and compose music in various genres (jazz, classical and pop). But essentially he was a hard bop player with an extreme cutting edge. You could almost call it free jazz but I believe there was more structure in ideas than just mere adventure of thought.

He is famous among the jazz community to his unique performance style which he would play two or three instruments (mainly sax or flute) at once. For many the thought sounds like white noise but the harmonics Kirk would produce were unbelievably fascinating. All of this and Rahsaan Roland Kirk was blind (since the age of two).

Rahsaan Roland Kirk may not be a household name to many but the masses are very familiar with one tune in which he famously performers. "Soul Bossa Nova" recorded by Quincy Jones, Rahsaan Roland Kirk plays flute throughout. "Soul Bossa Nova" was already when it was originally released in 1962 and has been used ad-nauseam in film and commercials but 35 years later it became an international sensation thanks to Mike Myers Austin Powers films.

Kirk recorded mainly as leader (Quincy Jones, Tubby Hayes, Roy Haynes and a short stint with Charles Mingus the major exceptions) and his catalog is massive. His first release was in 1956, but my personal favourite is also the first Roland Kirk album I ever bought, Rip, Rig and Panic (Verve; 1965). This is a great hard bop date that really shouldn't be ignored. It features a stellear lineup of Elvin Jones (drums), Jaki Byard (piano) and Richard Davis (bass).

From the killer opening of "No Tonic Press" to the lovely free moving flute work of "Mystical Dreams" and bluesy avant garde foreshadowing of his later work on the closing number "Slippery, Hippery, Flippery", Roland Kirk puts himself in a whole different strata than his contemporaries of the period.

Rahsaan Roland Kirk's thinking and modal structure was definitely ahead of its time and many listeners had no idea what to think of the blind multi-reed playing musician. He would go on to record a series of really avant garde albums for Atlantic Records during the late 60s and early 70s. These albums are much more for the die-hard fan. There have been a whole batch of compilations in the last few years on both Kirk's Verve and Atlantic years and they are worth picking up if you don't want to acquire any of the individual albums. My suggestions would Finest Hour (Verve) and Introducing Rahsaan Roland Kirk (Warners UK).

Kirk suffered two strokes in late 70s and finally succumbed to the second stroke in 1975 but he continued to play up to that point. Rahsaan Roland Kirk's legacy as a true innovator and prognosticator of improvisation is without question and today we should celebrate one of the true originals of Jazz. Happy Birthday Mr. Kirk.

Charles Mingus In Europe 1964

Charles Mingus (bass)
The European Tour 1964
Eric Dolphy (sax)
Johnny Coles (trumpet)
Clifford Jordan (sax)
Jaki Byard (piano)
Dannie Richmond (drums)

For most jazz heads, 1964 is probably the most well documented period of the legendary bass player. He was just reaching the peak out his powers. Always challenging and demanding more from his fellow musicians, Mingus was beloved and revered.

Mingus was already at the peak of his powers but he was also at a point of soulsearching and financial chaos. He was coming off the phenomenal 1963 recording, The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady (Verve) in addition to various business forays that collapsed (including his own record label) with almost everything to prove (to himself and his admirers). The year itself was politically charged as well with it being an American presidential election year and the civil rights movement if full swing. And to top things off, Beatlemania hit in January.

Charles Mingus was already effected by the political climate as shown in his recordings, "Meditations on Integration" and "Fables of Faubus"--the latter written about the Arkansas Govenor Orval Faubus who tried keep kids segregated in 1957.

In the spring of '64 Mingus took a sextet which was probably one of his most formidable (includng Eric Dolphy, Jaki Byard and Clifford Jordan) to Europe for a three week stint. The tour dates were amazing and the sets cosnsisted of the aforementioned pieces as well as Mingus lovely tribute to Art Tatum and Fats Waller, simply titled "ATFW". For all Mingus' personal complexities he always would somehow show a real side of beauty, especially on this tour with "ATFW," his tribute to Charlie Parker "Parkeriana" and "So Long Eric" decicated to his saxophonist and so to legendary, Eric Dolphy, who had announced to Mingus that after the European tour he was planning on staying in Europe.

The live recordings from this period a in abundance and all have quite good to excellent sound quality. The most readily available is The Great Concert (Verve) recorded on April 19th, which is famous for two reasons--first, the concert was dedicated to Johnny Coles (trumpet) who collpased during the previous date, from what would later be diagnosed as an ulcer. His trumpet was placed on the stage in tribute by Mingus. Secondly, these would be a few of the final live dates for Eric Dolphy as he would die from complication of diabeties in June of '64.

Recently a set of reissues of the gigs prior to the Great Concert recording have been released and while not shedding a great deal of new light on the proceedings, are just great to have from a chronological order perspective. The Complete Live In Amsterdam (Jazz Collectors) recorded April, 10th, includes an insightful interview in the booklet with Eric Dolphy right after the gig in which he discusses his playing, influences and creative vision.

The Complete Bremen Concert (Jazz Lips Records) recorded April 16th, is the last full concert for Johnny Coles prior to his accident. The performances from Jaki Byard on "ATFW" and Dolphy on "So Long Eric" are rich and stunning. Well worth the find and money. The following night would be the first of two Paris perfomances.

The Salle Wagram Concert (Jazz Collectors) has been pretty widely available but does include a nice but short version of "Peggys Blue Skylight" which doesn't feature on any of the other dates. Nice but not necessarilly essential. And finally you get to the The Great Concert recorded at the Theatre des Champs-Elysees. This is a powerful performance considering all that had happened prior and what would happen following. The tracks "Meditation..." and "Orange Was The Colour" are a couple of my favourites from this date.

Overall, if you only find The Great Concert you are still listening to a excellent piece of jazz history. But for a nice weekend listen (and a large dose of jazz overkill) the entire dates of April 10 - April 19th are perfect opportunities to experience one of the legendary figures in jazz along side one of his best groups in prime form during a truly developing time in American history.

Eric Dolphy In Transition

Eric Dolphy (sax, clarinet, flute; b. 1928 d. 1964)

Out There (Prestige, 1960)

The L.A. native, Eric Dolphy, made a number of appearances as sideman before recording his debut Outward Bound (Prestige. 1960), brilliant slice of hard bop with exceptional promise. He had become a multi-instrumentalist, particularly through his improvisational work on the bass clarinet. He worked with both Charles Mingus and John Coltrane whom along with Charlie Parker were huge influences on his compositional work.

Many people, myself included, will site that the ultimate Eric Dolphy album to own is Out To Lunch (Blue Note; 1964) but I also believe that there is an album that marks the origins of what Dolphy would continue to explore for the rest of his career. That album is Out There (Prestige; 1960). Eric Dolphy employed a quartet that was minus a piano player. Instead he chose the legendary Ron Carter (cello), which would result in some of the most memorable interchanges you will ever hear. The quartet also included George Duviveier (bass) and Roy Haynes (drums) whom both add tremendous dimension to the proceedings.

The opening "Out There" is wonderful piece of free jazz in which Dolphy expresses the angular emotion that made his recorded output so unique that he former employer Coltrane would later take note and say that mention that many people missed the beauty in Eric Dolphy's music. A large majority of sessions features Dolphy on clarinet but it is an excellent opportunity for the listener to hear why he was considered one the few musicians to turn the clarinet into an unbelievable improvisational instrument.

On the Charles Mingus penned "Eclipse" Dolphy and Carter connect in one of most hauntingly beautiful ways. The ballad "Sketch Of Melba" illustrates the more melodic bluesier side which Dolphy could turn with ease. The session closes with a drifting and scale jumping "Feathers" in which Carter and Dolphy connect again with an uncanny beauty that would be reminiscent of Monk and Rouse.

Out There is a transitional album--bridging the more standard bop of its predecessor, Outward Bound with the future exploration of free jazz that would later result in the masterpiece of Out To Lunch. The Dali-esque album cover is slightly misleading to the accesible nature of the entire recording. But make no mistake, Out There is an album that stands on its own and should be a must in your music collection. A brilliant album by an artist would be gone all to soon.

William Parker

William Parker (bass; b. 1952)

(photo: Dave Kaufman)

Probably the most creative and forward-thinking bassist since Charlie Mingus, William Parker has been a prolific recording artist for more than three decades and over 20 albums. William Parker's technique is direct and his phrasing is always well considered. His records range from avant garde to hard bop to large ensemble pieces -- all with great inventiveness. He has played with such luminaries as Charles Bracken, Rashid Ali and Don Cherry -- to name a few. All have had an influence on Parker's work to one degree or another.

A series of releases recorded with his most consistent quartet, featuring Hamid Drake (drums), Rob Brown (sax), Lewis Barnes (trumpet), include two highly recommended projects, O'Neals Porch and Sound Unity (both on Aum Fidelity). Both highlight the ability of each member to establish, develop and create thematic moods that evoke a sheer mastery of their instrument.

The themes and directions of both albums, while building toward free improvisation, actually start with a foundation that many will find accessible. The material is highly layered and the individual performances gel magnificently. At their best, they're reminiscent of Charles Mingus' releases for Impulse during the 60s, such as Black Saint and Sinner Lady.

The title tracks and "Song For Jesus" are notable for their lyrical beauty. Brown and Barnes also express themselves wonderfully throughout these sessions, making it clear that no one in this band is ever overshadowed. While many of Parker's albums are very complex with themes and textures that can be overwhelming and arching in new directions, both Sound Unity and O'Neals Porch are well suited for the uninitiated. Two must listens by far.

Giant Steps: Why It's Important

John Coltrane (sax; b. 1926 - d. 1967)

Giant Steps (Atlantic; 1960)

This month celebrates the 50th anniversary of John Coltrane's Giant Steps (Atlantic) album. Giant Steps was recorded only a few weeks after Coltrane had recorded Kind Of Blue with Miles Davis. Coltrane once mentioned in an interview that he wanted to play "a more lyrical and beautiful sound" and while he obviously and modestly didn't acknowledge it at the time, Giant Steps was the album where he found the lyrical voice for which he was searching.

The album features unbelievable quartet works with Tommy Flanagan, Wynton Kelly, Cedar Walton (piano), Jimmy Cobb, Lex Humphries, Art Taylor (Drums) and Paul Chambers (bass) running through seven numbers that would all become classics and benchmarks for future jazz generations to come. The sessions are also historic for the inclusion of the same line up that recorded Miles' Kind Of Blue (Kelly, Cobb and Chambers) on the lovely "Naima". The title track is a fast paced firecracker of a number that sets the tone for the whole affair. The album is a bold statement of intent that Coltrane had indeed arrived.

While his material for Prestige and Blue Note, Soultrane and Blue Train, respectfully are definite markers of his early dominance and potential, Giant Steps to me is the signpost that solidifies his status as the most important saxophone player of his generation. On the potent journey that is Giant Steps, Coltrane rips through harmonic scales at a dazzling pace as heard throughout the short but surefire "Countdown", and then moves lovingly into the wonderful piece "Spiral." Nearing the end of Giant Steps, Coltrane finally brings the proceedings to a calmer tone with the absolutely beautiful "Niama," named after his first wife, and is highlighted by the magnificent playing of the truly underrated Wynton Kelly on piano. The closing number, "Mr. P.C." is named after the only constant in the two quartet set up, bassist, Paul Chambers. It is a hard hitting and perfectly fitting way to end the session.

Giant Steps was the album that saw John Coltrane finally let loose and express the emotion, structure and complexity he had developed over the previous 15 years in his associations with Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie and Red Garland. Of all the John Coltrane albums, Giant Steps arguably might be the one that universally says everything you need to know about the legendary musician. Along with Miles Davis' Kind Of Blue, Charles Mingus' Ah Um, Dave Brubecks' Time Out, Thelonious Monks' Brilliant Corners, John Coltane's Giant Steps is a must-have for any music fan. It is the document of a legend as well as a great jazz history lesson.

Below is a stellar version of "Naima" with one of Coltrane's later quartets featuring McCoy Tyner (piano), Gimmy Garrison (bass) and Elvin Jones (drums).